Why Demi Moore’s SAG awards win is so ‘deeply meaningful’ to The Substance star

24 February 2025, 13:36 | Updated: 24 February 2025, 14:01

Awards season has been full of beautiful moments for the Ghost and Charlie’s Angels star.

Demi Moore called her Best Actress win at yesterday's (February 23) SAG Awards “deeply meaningful,” but why has the Oscars nominee been so moved by her recent awards season success?

The Substance star has received nominations in the majority of this year’s Best Actress categories, and has picked up awards from the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice awards, and the Screen Actors Guild so far.

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Each win has been meaningful to Demi for a variety of reasons, key among them the fact that this is the first time she has been recognised by awards shows for her work.

Demi Moore poses with SAG award

Uplifting recognition

As shocking as it might seem to fans of the actress, until recently Demi felt she would never achieve this kind of success from her work.

Despite the 62-year-old having enjoyed a high-profile career starring in films as varied as Ghost, Striptease, St Elmo’s Fire, G.I. Jane, and About Last Night..., Demi believed she wasn’t considered an award-deserving actress until this year.

Accepting her first major award at the Golden Globes this January, a “shocked” and “humbled” Demi explained: “I’ve been doing this a long time, like over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor...

Demi Moore Wins Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy | 82nd Annual Golden Globes

Demi Moore's daughters react to Golden Globe win

“30 years ago I had a producer tell me that I was a ‘popcorn actress’. And at that time, I made that mean that [acting award recognition] wasn’t something I was allowed to have... and I bought in and I believed that.”

The appreciation Demi has received from awards committees such as SAG for her role as actress Elisabeth Sparkle in body-horror film The Substance has inspired the actress to have more belief in herself.

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And the actress has used her awards wins to encourage others who feel similarly dismissed by their peers to continue to believe in themselves as well.

“You can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick,” she said while concluding her Golden Globes awards speech.

Peer appreciation

Demi’s SAG Awards win was also meaningful to the actress as the show’s winners are chosen by committees made up of fellow actors.

Many actors get especially moved by SAG awards success because of how it means their work has been appreciated by their peers – the most knowledgeable (and judgemental!) group of people they could possibly have assess their performances.

Demi Moore: Award Acceptance Speech | The 31st Annual SAG Awards

Demi also called her SAG win “deeply meaningful” for how the union “changed her life” when she received her membership as a teen in 1978.

“[SAG] gave me meaning, it gave me purpose, and it gave me direction,” Demi gushed in her speech.

“I was a kid on my own who had no blueprint for life, and I certainly knew nothing about acting. But I watched, and I listened, and I learned from all of you. You have all been my greatest teachers,” she continued.

Oscars dream

Demi’s SAG Awards win also has significance for the star because of how it increases the hype around her Oscars chances.

When the Indecent Proposal star lost out to Anora’s Mikey Madison at the BAFTAs last week (February 16), previously confident forecasts which had predicted Demi would win the Oscar next week (March 2) were thrown into question.

However, having won Best Actress at the SAG Awards, Demi is now back as the favourite to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards.

With her compelling narrative as the once dismissed “popcorn actress” who is now achieving the recognition she used to think she didn't deserve, Demi’s SAG awards win is another significant step towards the actress’ possible Academy Award.

Demi Moore's daughters react to Golden Globe win